Lang Son Province approves Minh Son and Dong Thang for Community-Based Biodiversity Conservation

• December 12^th, 2013, the People's Council of Lang Son Province promulgated Resolution No. 132/2013/NQ-HDND on the approval of a Community-Based Biodiversity Conservation Plan in the locality until the year 2020, of which Minh Son Commune (Huu Lung District) and Dong Thang Commune (Dinh Lap District) are the locations to develop and research for expansion.
   
  The Province Resolution accordingly put forth the general objective for the plan to conserve and enhance biodiversity in the Province; strengthen management and development of species and degraded habitat; maintain and develop rare genetic resources, protect ecologically sensitive environments, meet the requirement of sustainable socio-economic development of the Province; build up and enhance awareness of biodiversity conservation of the Province among the community.
  
  
  
  Dong Thang Commune (Dinh Lap District) in the Community-Based Biodiversity Conservation Plan of Lang Son Province
   
  In addition to the plan for conservation of rare animal and plant species, in 2020 the Province has decided to set up a system of biodiversity nature reserves and corridors, including the Nature Reserves of Huu Lien, Mau Son, Lam Ca - Dong Thang, Bac Son and Mo Re. Among them, the Lam Ca - Dong Thang Nature Reserve shall provide habitat conservation at provincial level with an area of 6,214 ha.
   
  One of the new and important points in the Resolution is that constructive planning of biodiversity nature reserves should be based on the communities. The plan accordingly needs to research and offer another two models to restore and develop watershed forests, protection forests, preserving rare genetic sources based on communities through the Project "Enhancing Capacity of Community-Based Management and Sustainable Use of Natural Resources" promoted by CIRUM that has been developed in Ho Muoi Village, Minh Son Commune, Huu Lung District.
   
  CIRUM began research in Minh Son Commune, Huu Lung District, Lang Son Province in 2009. With the active cooperation and permission of the local authorities and especially the support of communities, CIRUM helped develop a sustainable livelihood model on a small scale as a community-access base (chicken breeding under the forest canopy). From 2010 to date, CIRUM has been working with the People's Committees of Huu Lung District, Minh Son Commune and the relevant departments at all levels, together with Ho Muoi Village to implement the model "Community-based restoration and development of biodiversity forests". 
   
  So far CIRUM has assisted local people to get land allocated to households and communities, as well as enhance awareness of the local people in the regeneration and protection of protection forests. Activities of model planning based on local experience have been deployed effectively, such as the construction of native forestry plant nurseries, regeneration regional planning and native forest tree plantations. These activities are implemented by the communities under the coordination of the local government and special sectors.
   
  
  Survey of medicinal plants by the Traditional Herbal Healers Network supported by CIRUM
   
  Lang Son People's Council has also identified Dong Thang as one of the important locations in the plan for two biodiversity corridors in the Province, including Huu Lien Nature Reserve and Mo Re Reserve with an area of 723 ha and Mau Son Nature Reserve, and Lam Ca - Dong Thang Nature Reserve of 2,184 ha. They are the locations which have been studied and supported by CIRUM from 2009 to date through the Project "Use and Management of Natural Forests Based on Local Knowledge Through the Traditional Herbal Medicine Healers’ Groups" and the Project "Enhancing Community-Based Sustainable Management of Natural Resources".
   
  Successful experience and practical models implemented by local inhabitants and governments together with the consultancy and support of CIRUM in Lang Son has enabled this resolution to  actually come into life, contributing to the sustainable conservation of biological diversity and stabilization of  local people's lives.
   
  Forest Peoples Land Rights Network (LandNet)